Alabama’s secondary will be in for one of its biggest tests of the season in week seven against Tennessee’s receiving core.
There have been several instances where opposing offenses have tested the Crimson Tide secondary. Both USF and Wisconsin came up with play designs to exploit Alabama’s weaknesses in the secondary but were unable to capitalize. A large part of that stemmed from the quarterback’s inability to make the throw. Wide receivers have been able to get free in Alabama’s secondary at will sometimes. That will need to change against Tennessee.
The Volunteers have four wide receivers that have the potential to get behind Alabama’s secondary and make them pay deep down the field. It is also worth noting that Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava has the arm strength and precision to deliver the football to each of his wide receivers.
Tennessee has four wide receivers that have 200 or more receiving yards this season. Each of them are capable of presenting problems for Alabama’s secondary. The group is headlined by senior Bru McCoy. The three other wide receivers that Alabama will need to account for are Chris Brazzell II, Squirrel White, and Dont’e Thornton Jr. Brazzell II, McCoy, and Thornton Jr. are big-bodied wide receivers at 6-foot-3 or taller. White is smaller in stature at 5-foot-10 and is the most dynamic of the group.
The Alabama secondary is young and has not seen a receiving core like Tennessee’s this season. They will be challenged vertically and horizontally as Josh Heupel will get a feel for what to expect over the course of the game. Alabama cornerbacks Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown will need to play their best game of the season up to this point. They will be tested in ways that they have not been tested this season. Each of them have performed relatively well this season.
Other defensive backs such as Red Morgan, DaShawn Jones, and Jaylen Mbakwe will also need to step up when their number is called. Morgan and Mbakwe have been targeted a lot this season.
Overall, I would give the advantage to Tennessee’s receiving core, but Alabama’s secondary has shown signs of promise in the last few weeks. The lack of consistency has plagued the Crimson Tide and will continue to if they don’t have a good week of preparation leading up to Saturday’s showdown in Knoxville.
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